[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 19 (Wednesday, February 3, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H386-H387]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 THE PRESIDENT CANNOT HAVE IT BOTH WAYS

  (Mr. PETERSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PETERSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, last year in the 
President's proposed budget, he proposed saving all surpluses in the 
future for social security. Then he went on in his proposal and had 
enough new spending to eliminate all surpluses.
  The President cannot have it both ways. This year he is proposing 62 
percent of future surpluses for social security, and everybody is 
applauding that;

[[Page H387]]

15 percent of surpluses to save Medicare, and many are applauding that. 
Then he went on with a spending plan that would take 75 to 80 percent 
of proposed surpluses and spend them.
  When we add that up, that is 150 to 160 percent. The President cannot 
have it both ways. If he is serious about saving social security and 
Medicare, he cannot have all of these new spending programs that will 
eliminate all surpluses that will allow us to fix social security and 
Medicare.

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